Supreme Court steps up the fight against VIP culture as red beacon row goes on

Continuing its tirade against VIP culture, the Supreme Court, which two months ago banned the misuse of red beacons, on Monday disapproved of the privilege being extended to persons after categorising them as "high dignitaries" and "constitutional functionaries".

The apex court observed that such phrases were against the spirit of a republic country.

"From where did we get this culture? Every office holder in a republic is supposed to serve people. Then how some are high dignitaries and constitutional functionaries? Such usages are an anathema to the notion of a republic. Is it necessary to use expressions like high and low?" a bench headed by Justice R. M. Lodha said.

The SC hinted that it may draw up the list of persons entitled to use a red beacon

The comments came when senior lawyer Harish Salve - amicus curiae in the case - demanded a complete ban on use of red beacons except for security reasons.

Salve, who said he would file a petition seeking an amendment to a rule in Motor Vehicles Act which allowed the use of red beacons, said he had certain objections to apex court's December 10 judgment that allowed certain dignitaries holding constitutional posts at the Centre and states to use the privilege.

The court by its remarks hinted that it may draw the list of persons entitled to a red beacon and will not give a free hand to the Centre and states as allowed by the earlier verdict.

"In a republic, everyone is a public and except for security reasons, no one should be allowed to use the beacons. The beacons indicated a sense of symbolism which is not correct in a republic," said Salve.

The court in its December 10 order had said those engaged in emergency duties such as ambulance and fire services, emergency maintenance and police vehicles used as escorts or pilots or for law and order duties and those in uniform who require un-hindered access to roads for performance of their duty will be entitled to use blue, yellow white, multicolored lights instead of red beacons.

"The widespread use of red beacons on government vehicles is reflective of the mentality of those who served the British government in India and treated the natives as slaves," the court had said.

The bench slammed the Centre and the states for not making any headway in implementing police reforms despite a series of directives issued by the Supreme Court seven years ago.

"I fail to understand why no steps were taken to proceed with police reforms," said Lodha.

Salve, who appeared for petitioner and former DGP Prakash Singh said: "States refuse to obey the guidelines and have their own law."

In 2006, the court had issued a series of directives, including a security commission at state level to insulate police from political interference, transparent procedure for the appointment of police chief and desirability of giving him a fixed tenure and separation of investigation work from law and order duties.